Down Club Hurling & Football

[Smurfy123]

What is going on with St Colmans College?

The favourites for the McC cup and beat twice

Only for a shambolic rule that all teams qualify they were gone

Play matches pre Christmas but nobody gets knocked out
A once great school under Morgan are being run by a clown

[Targetman]

Kilcoo strolling to the final,Enniskillen very poor and a poor reflection of Fermanagh club football.

[charlieTully]

Kilcoo strolling to the final,Enniskillen very poor and a poor reflection of Fermanagh club football.

The standard in down is obviously a lot higher than our county team reflects.

[stiff breeze]

Or a more likely explanation is they treat down as a warm up to the real thing .

[charlieTully]

Or a more likely explanation is they treat down as a warm up to the real thing .

They were a penalty kick away from being knocked out. Risky strategy.

[stiff breeze]

Risky for sure , but it's either go full on for Down and risk burnout for all Ireland series or risk going steady through Down and peak for an all Ireland series . With numerous Down titles in the bag I'd imagine the second risk is probably worth it in their mind . Just how it looks to me . No coincidence they just about slip through Down year on year then look a different team in ulster

[thewobbler]

Risk burn out my arse.

There's a couple of weeks between games.

You're overthinking things.

[stiff breeze]

Burnout probably the wrong phrase . Peaking at the right time of year is more what I meant . Their peaking window time is different than other Down clubs ,unfortunately for the rest  they have enough depth to not peak and still win Down

[thewobbler]

Burnout probably the wrong phrase . Peaking at the right time of year is more what I meant . Their peaking window time is different than other Down clubs ,unfortunately for the rest  they have enough depth to not peak and still win Down

Again. Not trying to be mean here. But you're just throwing out a cliche. Teams that are serial winners in all sports are lauded for their ability to peak at the right time.

But it's nonsense. They are aerial winners because they're better than their opponents.

[stiff breeze]

If that was true then every best team or player in every team or individual sport would win all the time. They don't because of other factors including physically and mentally peaking at the right time . It's not cliche it's just modern sports science . Don't worry about being mean , it's only my opinion so I'm not offended if you don't agree   

[stiff breeze]

Alternatively, it could be that Down have a couple of decent club teams with a lot of experience playing against Kilcoo and are therefore further down the line of working out how to play against them than random teams across Ulster who rarely play them.

Also worth noting that club football rarely gives any indication of the strength of the county team.

This could be true also

[redandblackareback]

Kilcoo look like All Ireland champions and I think they will do back to back - who will actually stop them?

On the school debate, rather than talk about St Marks or St Malachy's let's look at a town close to my heart, Downpatrick, one of the largest towns in our county and yet we have two all boys schools who are certainly underachievers. Red High have been a disgrace of a school in recent years, and since Brady and Adams have left De La Salle they are another school who should be ashamed of their efforts in GAA. It's very concerning the downward spiral of our schools in general. Hopefully the addition of new staff in the Red High can give them the kick start needed

[snoopdog]

Kilcoo look like All Ireland champions and I think they will do back to back - who will actually stop them?

On the school debate, rather than talk about St Marks or St Malachy's let's look at a town close to my heart, Downpatrick, one of the largest towns in our county and yet we have two all boys schools who are certainly underachievers. Red High have been a disgrace of a school in recent years, and since Brady and Adams have left De La Salle they are another school who should be ashamed of their efforts in GAA. It's very concerning the downward spiral of our schools in general. Hopefully the addition of new staff in the Red High can give them the kick start needed

Kilmacud will give them a real test if kilcoo get out of Ulster. Nevermind glen/cargin and the connacht champions for one. Shane walsh a massive addition for crokes in their quest for an all Ireland.

[Cuan12]

Reading some interesting comments regarding our schools , personal opinion is until we have a system which clubs , schools and the county executive buys into we will never reach the days when St Colmans , Abbey and Red High dominated the college scene, it was no fluke we were AI champions in the nineties, teachers like Ray Morgan and Pat o Hare were passionate about down football and many ex pupils represented Down at all levels including senior level. To get to that level again we need accountability from county coaches, we need clubs to be involved in local schools and we need the right men driving this forward, we need suitably qualified men and women to be given the county coach positions and someone to co ordinate it all, I know there was a recent survey conducted and I hope the powers that be don't do t just pay it lip service. Get this right and we will get back to the top table.
Congrats to Kilcoo - utmost respect to this club and what they have achieved , good luck going forward.

[Johnnysboys]

Reading some interesting comments regarding our schools , personal opinion is until we have a system which clubs , schools and the county executive buys into we will never reach the days when St Colmans , Abbey and Red High dominated the college scene, it was no fluke we were AI champions in the nineties, teachers like Ray Morgan and Pat o Hare were passionate about down football and many ex pupils represented Down at all levels including senior level. To get to that level again we need accountability from county coaches, we need clubs to be involved in local schools and we need the right men driving this forward, we need suitably qualified men and women to be given the county coach positions and someone to co ordinate it all, I know there was a recent survey conducted and I hope the powers that be don't do t just pay it lip service. Get this right and we will get back to the top table.
Congrats to Kilcoo - utmost respect to this club and what they have achieved , good luck going forward.

What is their remit?? Some turn up to primary schools - some don't bother, a previous poster stated they are not allowed into secondary schools - why is this?? Surely they should be availing of this service if it's provided to them.
Are these coaches not given a certain area to focus on and they take care of GAA development in that area? Should the coach/coaches for Downpatrick/NewryMourne areas not have serious questions to answer?
Bosco/Shamrocks/Mitchell's not going very well
Downpatrick a yo yo team, Saul cant make the leap required to get promoted, Bright, Darragh Cross all underperforming
3 teams from Mourne in division 3, 1 in division 4 and 1 going to get a few trimmings next season in top flight.